Question about Regimental Tartans

[Ruth]

Hello!

I have a question.

As far as I know, my family isn't connected to the Scottish Clan (and tartan) with the same tartan. However, my Grandfather was a Regimental Sergent in the Argylle and Southerners.

I was wondering whether it is considered acceptable to wear the regimental tartan of your ancestor?

Thanks!

[longhuntr74]

Acceptable? There's really no rules or tartan police out there. There are a few restricted tartans out there...but if they're restricted, you won't be able to get your hands on them anyways...so don't worry about that.

The tartan of the A&SH is the government sett...more commonly known as the Black Watch Tartan. Black Watch is probably THE most well known and universal tartan worldwide...so if that's what you want to wear, go for it. The fact that, if asked, you can say that you are wearing it in honor of your grandfather's service in the A&SH...well that's just icing on the cake...but you certainly don't need to that fact to defend your choice or right to wear it.

Hope that helps. PS...there is a search function along the top bar in the forum. You've asked the same or similar question as about 50% of other new forum members. You may want to search and read some previous responses to get a better appreciation of the general opinions on tartan choice.

[figheadair]

An excellent answer.

Acceptable? There's really no rules or tartan police out there. There are a few restricted tartans out there...but if they're restricted, you won't be able to get your hands on them anyways...so don't worry about that.

The tartan of the A&SH is the government sett...more commonly known as the Black Watch Tartan. Black Watch is probably THE most well known and universal tartan worldwide...so if that's what you want to wear, go for it. The fact that, if asked, you can say that you are wearing it in honor of your grandfather's service in the A&SH...well that's just icing on the cake...but you certainly don't need to that fact to defend your choice or right to wear it.

Hope that helps. PS...there is a search function along the top bar in the forum. You've asked the same or similar question as about 50% of other new forum members. You may want to search and read some previous responses to get a better appreciation of the general opinions on tartan choice.

[kiltimabar]

...The tartan of the A&SH is the government sett...more commonly known as the Black Watch Tartan. Black Watch is probably THE most well known and universal tartan worldwide...so if that's what you want to wear, go for it. The fact that, if asked, you can say that you are wearing it in honor of your grandfather's service in the A&SH...well that's just icing on the cake...but you certainly don't need to that fact to defend your choice or right to wear it.

The government /universal sett, yes, but don't the A&SH use a lighter colored version of this sett? The BW colors are very dark.

[figheadair]

The government /universal sett, yes, but don't the A&SH use a lighter colored version of this sett? The BW colors are very dark.

Of course, the A and SH no longer exist but are now part of the Royal Regiment of Scotland (RRS).

The A and SH used to wear a version of the Government sett with a brighter green. Their setting was known as Government No1A as opposed to the Black Watch that used to wear Government No1. All five battalions of the RRS now wear No1A.

In earlier times there never was a shade difference; so for example, the Cockburn Collection c1810 contains 4 samples all the same but named individually as. Sutherland, Campbell of Argyll, Munro Htg and Grant of Grant.

[Schiehallion]

Shouldn't that be "Argyle and Sutherland" ? not Southerners ? Or Knowledge missing out something about Highland Regiments ?

[Ruth]

Yes... Sutherland, not sure why I even typed that!

I know you can technically wear any tartan you like, but was trying to find out how it fits with some of the ideas on which you are supposed to wear or not. (For example, like not knowing of any actual family connection with the tartan for our surname, theoretically meaning some people think you shouldn't wear it.)

[OC Richard]

Yes Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, or A&SH, but commonly called simply "the Argylls".

The tartan they wore was somewhat different in colouring than that worn by the Black Watch.

Here are the Drum Major and Pipe Major of each regiment (shorty before both regiments were swallowed up in The Royal Regiment Of Scotland).

The colouring of the tartan worn by the Argylls is very interesting. Note that the green is rather light but the blue remains dark, very different from Black Watch tartan rendered in "ancient colours" where both the green and the blue are lighter.





The new Royal Regiment Of Scotland wears kilts in the Argylls colouring. RRS kilts are widely available on Ebay so it would be easy for you to pick one up. The RRS kilts are boxpleated just as the Argylls kilts were.

The Government Sett was at one time worn by all Highland regiments, until the Gordon Highlanders were raised and the decision was made to add a yellow line. The Argylls were a living reminder of those early times.

[figheadair]

The Government Sett was at one time worn by all Highland regiments, until the Gordon Highlanders were raised and the decision was made to add a yellow line. The Argylls were a living reminder of those early times.

Oh no! There were several regiments that pre-date the 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) that wore tartans other than the Government including the: 64th, 77th, 78th and 79th.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Oh no! There were several regiments that pre-date the 92nd (Gordon Highlanders) that wore tartans other than the Government including the: 64th, 77th, 78th and 79th.

Thanks, Peter! I was going to comment the same yesterday but was too tired! I'd highly recommend Jamie Scarlett's book, The Origin and Development of Military Tartans: A Reappraisal, to anyone interested in the subject.